Suspects arrested in theft of Reeds Country Store and TNT Pit Stop

Stacks of cigarettes that law enforcement say were taken from the two stores. Submitted photo.

POMEROY, Ohio – Two suspects have been taken into custody involving a recent break-in at Reeds Country Store and TNT Pit Stop.

According to Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood on June 22, 2018 the two suspects were taken into custody for the two recent breaking and entering’s. On June 15, Reeds Country Store in Reedsville, Ohio was one of the locations the two allegedly entered and stole items from along with TNT Pit Stop in Middleport on June 22.

In custody are Donald J. Sheppard, 35, and Larry J. Loring, 32, both of Columbus, Ohio.

According to Sheriff Wood, the suspects took a large quantity of cigarettes from each of the local stores that were broken into. On the evening of Friday, June 22 the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Ohio State Highway Patrol dispatch in Athens County advising that they had a vehicle stopped near Buchtel for a traffic violation. The Ohio State Patrol further advised that during the stop they located two black trash bags full of different brands of cigarettes.

Sheppard was arrested on multiple warrants out of Franklin, Hocking, and Muskingum Counties while the other male and two females were detained and taken to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office by Athens County Sheriff’s deputies for questioning in a recent breaking and entering of another gas station in Athens County.

Meigs County deputies Sgt. Frank Stewart and Deputy Tylun Campbell responded to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office and were able to match the tax stamp identification numbers on the cigarette packs seized from the suspects to those taken during the breaking and entering at the TNT Pit Stop in Middleport. The deputies then conducted an interrogation on the suspects where one of the males confessed his involvement in the breaking and entering at Reeds Country Store as well as the TNT Pit Stop. Sheriff Wood stated that Loring and Sheppard were taken into custody by Meigs County deputies and were incarcerated on two (2) counts of Breaking and Entering as well as two (2) counts of Theft each.

Sheriff Wood would like to extend his appreciation to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Buchtel Police Department, and the Glouster Police Department for their assistance in this case.